Trikon sales surge 139% to $31.5 million in quarter

NEWPORT, Wales -- Trikon Technologies Inc. today reported revenues of $31.5 million in the third quarter, an increase of 139% from $13.2 million in the period last year and a 23% sequential gain from $25.7 million in the second quarter. The supplier of deposition and etch equipment posted a net income of $7.1 million vs. $4.2 million in the third quarter last year and $3.7 million in the second quarter of 2000.

"The market continues to grow very strongly. Consensus estimates for 2001 growth in the semiconductor equipment industry are approximately 18% to 20%," said Nigel Wheeler, president and chief executive officer of Trikon.

Trikon has aimed itself at becoming a leading supplier of gap-fill low-k dielectric deposition tools. The company has signed up two "top 10" chip makers to collaborate in low-k dielectric deposition technologies for DRAM applications, according to Wheeler.

The company is also seeing strong demand for process tools from compound semiconductor makers, he said. "This year, approximately one third of our sales will be to compound device makers such as gallium arsenide, indium phosphide and other III/V materials, of which one third, or 10% of our total sales, will be from the optoelectronics industry," Wheeler added.